Instrument of Change

An instrument of change:

This final project charges you with the open-ended instruction to create an instrument of change. 

Possibly construed as “tool,” the word “instrument” carries many valences, from science to mechanics, music to financial markets.  Change, delta, means alteration, movement from one state to another, the only constant in Buddhist philosophy.  Change can be embodied, political, social, and intimate.  Instruments can be literal, suggestive, or metaphorical. This project offers many possible scales – a seedling growing is change, moving a ball an inch is a change, changing minds, changing philosophies, the butterfly stamped and changed the world – or using cyber technology, global change could perhaps be created.  

We will workshop this project in similar ways as we did the mapping project.  You will not be limited in materials, nor will they be provided, but you will be required to work in class.  Thus, think portable, flexible, modular or small scale.

Step One: due Thursday March 29

Instrument – bring in three instruments (or more) – and we’ll discuss how they work and what kind of change they might create.

Step Two:  due Tuesday April 3

Change – bring in three ideas of changes you’d like to create and a sketch (could be drawn or built) of an instrument you imagine that would create that change

Step Three: Thursday April 5

Refine your change and your instrument in class – pick one of the three and make a material list and budget for your project

From here on we will work in class and invite in guests to talk about our projects.